Monday, Monday - Can't Trust That Day
by Marvelyn
Summary: When the Authority hires a new assistant to the general manager of Raw, they are convinced that they have nothing to fear from the naive new employee, and Carly is content to believe that the Authority is in the right. But when her job gets her caught between the Authority and a certain faction known as the Shield, Carly begins to question which side she should be on.
1. On-the-Job Training

_**(Note: Well, I started writing this a few weeks ago, before recent events showed me just how wrong I was in my interpretation of a certain character, but let's not talk about that now. I decided to go ahead and finish it anyway, in honor of happier times. Let's just say this is set in a reality in which face!Shield is in the early days of a feud with the Authority in general. Feedback is always welcome. Thanks for reading!)**_

**On-the-Job Training**

"He's just doing this to screw with me. I know he is," Stephanie McMahon fumed.

She paced around her makeshift office in the arena. Brad Maddox stood off to the side, looking pathetic and being generally useless, as usual. It was mid-morning on a Monday. Stephanie had more important things to worry about than _this_.

"I'm sure your father wouldn't-" Brad began.

"Yes, he would," Stephanie glared at him, "My father conveniently neglected to mention that he had an illegitimate daughter running around somewhere. He would definitely go over my head and guarantee her a job."

"How does he still have the authority to do that?" asked Brad.

"I have no idea, but somehow he does," said Stephanie, "I'm under orders to give her a job. Any job at all, it doesn't matter. The only thing I'm not allowed to do fire her."

The door opened to admit Triple H. He paused briefly to kiss his wife before speaking.

"The plane just landed," he said, "So there's about half an hour until… what was her name again?"

"Carly Caden," Stephanie sneered over the alliteration as though it left a bad taste in her mouth, "Isn't that just precious."

"Have you decided what you're going to do with her?" asked Triple H.

"No," Stephanie groaned, leaning against the desk, "If it isn't a legitimate enough to satisfy my father, he'll start interfering even more than he already has. But there is no way I'm giving this girl enough power for her to become a threat."

"I'm sure she doesn't have any plans of being a threat to you," was Brad's weak attempt at reassurance, "When I spoke to her on the phone, she seemed very… uh, polite."

"She's an idiot," Stephanie said flatly.

"But she _is_ your sister," Brad offered.

"She is _not _my sister!" Stephanie snapped.

Suddenly, a devious light sparked in her eyes. She smiled, advancing on Brad Maddox. He knew that look well enough to be concerned about what was coming next.

"You just gave me a solution, Brad," said Stephanie, "Congratulations, you got yourself a new assistant. Now she's your problem."

"But, Stephanie," Brad protested, "I don't need an-"

"Have her sharpen pencils and bring you coffee for all I care," Stephanie dismissed Brad with a wave of her hand, "Just keep her out of trouble and, more importantly, keep her out of my way. I want you to make sure that girl falls in line like a good little McMahon. My father should know not to underestimate me."

xXx

It had been one heck of a graduation present: Vincent McMahon, the father she had never met, called up out of the blue and offered Carly a job working for the WWE. Said it would be good experience for her, and it would allow her to do a lot of traveling. Of course, Carly accepted.

But she was nervous now, walking into the arena complex. She'd only spoken to some of these people on the phone. She'd never met them in person. She wasn't even sure what they expected her to _do_, exactly.

Carly managed to stammeringly introduce herself at the security checkpoint, and was directed to the office. She was surprised at how many people were running around getting the place set up. She hadn't really thought about just how many employees were needed to make these shows run smoothly. Even though the McMahons probably didn't really consider her to be family, Carly was excited just to be a part of all this.

A sign taped on the door labeled this room the COO's office. Carly hesitated. There was no reason to be afraid. All she was doing was reporting to people she'd never met before to be assigned an unknown job. Carly gulped. She summoned up her most polite and professional air, took a deep breath, and knocked.

"Come in," a woman's voice called.

Carly opened the door. Inside the makeshift office stood a tall woman, a large, broad-shouldered man, and a nervous-looking pretty-boy. The woman smiled and reached out to shake her hand.

"You must be Carly," she said, "I'm Stephanie McMahon. This is my husband."

"It's an honor to finally meet you, Ms. McMahon, and you, Mr. Helmsley," said Carly.

Carly knew that everybody referred to him as Triple H, but she couldn't bring herself to call him anything but Mr. Helmsley. He smiled as he shook her hand, though, apparently appreciative of the respect she addressed him with. So far so good. She hadn't tripped or said anything stupid yet.

"And this is Brad Maddox," said Ms. McMahon.

"We spoke on the phone," Mr. Maddox said as he shook Carly's hand.

"Of course," said Carly, smiling, "I'm Carly Caden. Oh, right, you knew that already. I beg your pardon."

Carly kicked herself internally. Actively trying not to sound like a nervous imbecile was having the opposite effect.

"Actually," said Ms. McMahon, "As long as you're employed by this company, you'll go by the name Carly McMahon. You got this job because you're a McMahon, so it's only fitting that you accept all the responsibilities of being a part of this family."

"Oh," Carly blinked in surprise, "Alright. I'll do whatever you think is best, Ms. McMahon."

That was unexpected. It wasn't exactly welcoming, but Carly couldn't blame her for being distant. They may share a father, but that didn't exactly make them sisters.

"I'm glad you understand," Ms. McMahon smiled, "Now, you'll be working as Brad's assistant. Mostly clerical work, nothing too difficult, at least until you learn how things work here."

"I'll certainly do my best," Carly nodded, "When do I start?"

"Right now, if you're up for it," said Ms. McMahon, "Brad?"

"Oh, right! Follow me, please, Carly. Can I call you Carly?" Mr. Maddox asked a little hesitantly.

"Of course, Mr. Maddox," said Carly.

xXx

As soon as the door shut, Triple H grinned, slipping an arm around his wife's waist.

"'Mr. Maddox, Mr. Helmsley, Ms. McMahon,'" he mimicked, "Are you actually concerned that that mouse is going to be a threat?"

"Not anymore," said Stephanie, leaning against him, "She really is too stupid to cause me any trouble."

xXx

Carly spent most of the afternoon just following Mr. Maddox around, observing. She gathered that the powers-that-be of the WWE were extraordinarily organized and efficient. Also, Mr. Maddox was actually a very confident person. Carly still wasn't sure what had made him look so nervous before. Everyone here had been remarkably kind to her.

As Carly followed Mr. Maddox during the final pre-show checks, they passed by the locker room, where various wrestlers were milling about and getting warmed up. Mr. Maddox suddenly stepped back around a corner out of sight. His face was very pale.

"Mr. Maddox, what's the matter?" Carly asked, "You don't look well."

"Oh, no. I'm fine. Everything's fine," he with an uneasy laugh, "I just don't want them to see me."

"You don't want _who _to see you?" said Carly, lowering her voice to match his.

"The Shield. Those three guys who look like the swat team," Mr. Maddox explained when Carly continued to look confused, pointing each one out, "Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins, and Roman Reigns."

"But why are you hiding from them?"

"We have a… history. By which I mean they beat me up if I don't do what they want."

Carly studied the three men. There was something dangerous, almost predatory-looking about them. The one called Roman Reigns looked incredibly strong. His face was handsome, but fierce and stern, and he had eyes like a wolf's. The one called Dean Ambrose seemed to have trouble staying still as he listened to the third man talk. He kept twitching his head and shoulders. Every now and then, Ambrose's heavy-lidded eyes would widen, and his mouth would twist into a grin. At first glance it seemed that the third one, Seth Rollins, was the normal one, aside from his two-tone hair. He was the leanest compared to the other two. But there was something too calm about the way he carried himself, and there was something calculating in his smile.

Carly couldn't tell which one of them was the leader. Rollins was doing most of the talking, it was true, and seemed to be outlining a strategy. But Reigns kept his eyes on Rollins and Ambrose protectively and his few words seemed to carry a lot of weight, and whenever Ambrose spoke, the other two deferred to him, smiling and nodding in agreement. It was altogether a strange dynamic.

Seth Rollins glanced over at Carly, his dark eyes locking with hers for a moment. Carly looked away quickly. If Mr. Maddox was afraid of these three, she did not want to attract their attention.

"But how do they get away with doing things like that?" Carly asked, "Why haven't they been fired?"

Before Mr. Maddox could answer, another employee appeared at his side.

"The word is the Shield is going to want to talk to you tonight, Brad," she said, "Stephanie says you should put them in a match against Rybaxel and Swagger to keep them busy."

"Right, thank you," Mr. Maddox nodded, "Carly, would you go and find-"

He broke off. He suddenly looked a little less panicked, like he had an idea.

"Carly, how are you with public speaking?" he asked.

"Not terrible, I suppose," Carly answered slowly, "But why-?"

Mr. Maddox took Carly by the shoulders and looked her earnestly in the eyes.

"Then this is going to be your first official job as my assistant," he said, "When the Shield calls me out, I need you to go out there in my place and tell them about the match with Rybaxel and Jack Swagger, alright?"

"But why can't you-?"

"I have to inform the other wrestlers and reorganize the schedule for tonight," he interrupted quickly, "Neither of which are things you've had experience with, so I can't ask you to do that. It wouldn't be fair to you. So while I handle all of those things, I just need you to let the Shield know about the change in plans."

"But you said that they were dangerous," said Carly hesitantly.

"You have nothing to worry about," said Mr. Maddox with a reassuring smile, "You just stay at the top of the ramp, and they'll be all the way in the ring. Sound good? Alright, I knew I could count on you, Carly. Good luck!"

And with that, Mr. Maddox hurried away.

xXx

Carly stood backstage, a microphone nervously clutched in her hands. The Shield was out there already, but she wasn't listening to what they were saying. She was repeating the names "Jack Swagger" and "Rybaxel" over and over to herself. She didn't want to get that part wrong.

She understood Mr. Maddox's logic, of course. She didn't know how to handle reorganizing the line-up of matches, so it made sense that, as Mr. Maddox's assistant, she should be given this assignment. Carly just wished she would've gotten a little more advanced notice. This was her first day on the job, and now she had to go out and talk in front of all these people. She felt a little sick.

"Miss McMahon?" a stagehand said, "They just called for Brad to come out. You're on."

"Right. Thank you," said Carly.

She stepped around the titantron and into the brightly lit arena. The rumble of confusion that passed through the audience was only matched by the confusion of the faces of the three young men in the ring. Carly held the microphone up to her lips.

"I beg your pardon," she began, a little daunted by how loud her voice sounded, "On behalf of-"

"Hold on, hold on. Wait a minute," Seth Rollins interrupted, "Who are you supposed to be?"

"I… I'm Mr. Maddox's assistant," said Carly. It sounded more like a question than a statement, "My name is Carly McMahon."

"Oh god, there's another one?" Rollins exclaimed in exasperation.

The crowd seemed equally annoyed. Carly wondered if Rollins meant another assistant, or another McMahon. She was answered when Dean Ambrose snatched the mic away from Rollins.

"You mean you're some kind of relative of Stephanie's?" Ambrose asked.

"W-well, yes. She's my half-sister," said Carly, "But I don't see what that has to do with anything."

"She doesn't see," Ambrose smirked his two companions, "Alright, where's Stephanie's usual flying monkey?"

"That's a very disrespectful thing to-"

"Where is Brad?" Ambrose said slowly, "We called him out here, not you, so we wanna know where he is."

"Mr. Maddox is busy," said Carly, "So he sent me to-"

"Oh, Mr. Maddox is busy, is he?" Ambrose repeated mockingly, "He's too busy to even face up to-"

"Please, Mr. Ambrose, let me finish!" Carly blurted out.

Dean Ambrose's eyebrows shot up in surprise. Even Carly was a little startled at how bold she had just been.

"By all means, finish," said Ambrose, bowing slightly.

"Mr. Maddox sent me to offer you three a match later tonight against Jack Swagger and Rybaxel. As a peace offering," she added lamely.

"A peace offering, what a load of-" the rest of the sentence was lost as Ambrose moved the mic away from his face.

The three turned to face each other, conversing outside of the microphone's range. After a moment, Roman Reigns took the mic from Ambrose.

"We accept," he said in a low, no-nonsense voice.

"Thank you for your cooperation and understanding at this time," Carly finished.

There, that was professional and business-like enough to suit the authority around her. Without waiting for a reply, Carly quickly turned and walked back out of the arena.


	2. Business Ethics

**Business Ethics**

Over the next few Mondays, Carly found herself adjusting to the routine of her job. She made and took calls for Mr. Maddox and sent emails on his behalf, and would occasionally run errands for him, as well as for Ms. McMahon and Mr. Helmsley. In addition, Carly found that she had become Mr. Maddox's designated messenger girl, as far as addressing the Shield was concerned.

Carly grew more comfortable with speaking into the microphone. She no longer shied away from how loud her voice sounded in the arena, and she stammered much less often. She had even gotten used to the crowd's collective groan at the sight of her, although she didn't quite understand it. And the Shield no longer seemed surprised to see her step onto the stage.

"Look who it is again, boys," Ambrose would say, "The Authority's little princess."

Before she could speak, Rollins would interrupt, saying, "Yeah, we know. You beg our pardon, and on behalf of Mr. Maddox, what is it now?"

Reigns would just stare at her disapprovingly.

But this Monday night was a slow one for Carly. She sat in the room that had been designated the general manager's office and organized paperwork for Mr. Maddox. She welcomed the break from public speaking and dealing with the Shield.

Since the first time she saw them, Carly had never been in closer proximity than the distance between the stage and the ring, and that was just fine with her. You could feel the crazy emanating from Dean Ambrose even at that distance. No wonder they called him the lunatic fringe. The other two were just as bad, in their own ways. Roman Reigns could easily snap her in half, and Seth Rollins' calm was just unsettling.

About halfway through the broadcast, Mr. Maddox clattered through the door. He looked harried and out of breath, like he had run to get there. Carly jumped up from her chair.

"Mr. Maddox, are you alright?" she asked.

"No, I'm fine," he said, "But something's come up. It's an emergency. You can handle the rest of the night on your own, can't you, Carly? You can call me if you have any questions."

"Alright," Carly said doubtfully, "But Mr. Maddox, is something wrong?"

"Nothing you need to worry about," he said with a distracted smile, "Thank you, Carly. Goodnight. I'll see you next week!"

He barely finished speaking before he was out the door. Carly shut it behind him and went back to the table. Mr. Maddox was behaving very strangely. She hoped he was alright, but she didn't think it would have been prudent or polite of her to pry. Whatever the problem was, it was probably a personal matter, and therefore it was none of her business.

The door burst open, banging against the wall. Carly leapt to her feet with a startled yelp. The Shield stormed in, and they looked angry. Their eyes darted around the room. Seeing no one but Carly, their fiery gazes fixed on her. They advanced on her like a pack of wild dogs with Ambrose in the lead. Carly had never fully appreciated just how tall he was, even with how his shoulder slouched as he brought his face down close to hers.

"Where is he?" Ambrose demanded.

"I… I-" Carly stammered.

"We don't have time for your pleasantries, princess," Ambrose said with unnerving calm, "In case you can't tell, we're a little upset here. See, we had an appointment, but it looks like a no-show. Now tell us: where is Brad Maddox?"

"He's gone," Carly managed to say. She struggled to maintain eye contact. The strange intensity in Ambrose's gaze was mesmerizing, but at the same time made her want to look away.

"What do you mean, he's gone?" said Ambrose, his face inching even closer to hers.

"S-something came up. He left. He's gone," said Carly.

With an almost animalistic growl, Ambrose turned away from Carly. He grabbed onto the table and flipped it over in one swift motion. Carly gasped, backing away a few steps. Ambrose began pacing angrily as Seth Rollins stepped towards Carly.

"Where did he go?" Rollins asked evenly.

"H-he said it was an emergency," said Carly, "He didn't say what it was, and I d-didn't ask."

"And he never mentioned that we were coming?" said Rollins.

Carly shook her head. Rollins smirked, chuckling.

"I'll tell you what came up, Carly," he said, "You see, Brad was supposed to have a meeting with us. We all agreed to it. But it looks like he was too much of a coward to keep his word, and apparently he left you to face the hounds on your own. Are you starting to see the problem here?"

"I-I don't…" said Carly.

Roman Reigns stepped to Rollins' side as he leveled his gaze at Carly.

"He's been using you as a human shield, babygirl," said Reigns, "You can't tell us you haven't noticed."

"That's not true at all," Carly protested, "Mr. Maddox has a lot of responsibilities, things that I haven't been trained to handle yet. I take care of the busy work, like delivering messages to you."

"You really are every bit as clueless as they say," said Rollins, shaking his head incredulously.

That was the last straw. They'd barged in here like savages, completely destroyed all the work she'd done for the past hour, and now they'd insulted her. Carly drew herself up to her full height (though she still felt very short compared to these three young men) and marched over to the door.

"You three need to leave. Now!" she ordered.

Rollins raised his eyebrows and glanced at the other two. Shrugging, he made his way out the door, followed by Reigns and then Ambrose, who gave a sarcastic little bow as he passed Carly.

Their footsteps retreated down the hall into silence. With a shuddering sigh of relief, Carly leaned against the doorframe. Now she understood why Mr. Maddox was afraid of the Shield. She couldn't understand how those thugs still had jobs in this company. Carly was suddenly aware of approaching footsteps. She looked up quickly, hoping that it wasn't the Shield returning for round two. It was Mr. Helmsley.

"Carly, I need you to-" he broke of suddenly as he saw the state of the office, "What happened here?"

"It was the Shield, Mr. Helmsley. They came storming in here looking for Mr. Maddox. When I told them that he'd left, Mr. Ambrose was a little upset," said Carly, gesturing at the overturned table.

"I can see that," said Mr. Helmsley, his brows furrowed, "And you say Brad left? I'll have to have a talk with him about that…"

His voice trailed off as if he was lost in thought, and Carly didn't feel up to interrupting to ask what he had needed. Mr. Helmsley suddenly seemed to remember that Carly was standing there. He smiled at her and laid a hand on her shoulder.

"You look a little shaken up. Don't worry, Carly," he said, "I'll see that the Shield is formally reprimanded for what they've done. Take the rest of the night off, alright? We'll see you next Monday."


	3. Official Reprimand

**Official Reprimand**

When she walked into the general manager's office that next Monday, Carly was surprised to see Ms. McMahon and Mr. Helmsley waiting for her.

"Isn't Mr. Maddox here yet?" Carly asked.

"Brad needed to take a little time off," said Ms. McMahon.

That didn't sound good. Carly hoped he was alright, and that whatever emergency had come up wasn't too serious.

"We just wanted to make sure that you were alright, Carly," Ms. McMahon continued, "The Shield's behavior was unacceptable. Causing all that trouble, upsetting and possibly endangering an innocent employee, not to mention the fact that you're a McMahon; they need to be taught a lesson about professional propriety."

"We need you to deliver a message about a change in tonight's lineup to Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins," said Mr. Helmsley.

"What about Reigns?" asked Ms. McMahon.

"I'm not worried about Roman Reigns. What's he going to do, use all two of his moves on me?" Mr. Helmsley laughed, "I'll deal with him another day."

"Of course," Ms. McMahon smiled, slipping her hand into her husband's.

"What would you like me to tell them, sir?" Carly asked.

"Just let them know that Dean Ambrose will be in the opening match against Randy Orton, and Seth Rollins will be in the main event against myself," said Mr. Helmsley, "And be sure to mention that both will be no-disqualifications matches."

Mr. Helmsley and Ms. McMahon both seemed oddly happy about this. Carly was apprehensive. She'd never seen a no-disqualifications match, but she'd heard about how brutal they could be. Surely the ruckus the Shield had caused wasn't that serious? But then again, these two were in charge of this company. They must know what they're doing.

Carly found the Shield lurking a ways from any centers of action. They had a remarkable knack for finding dimly-lit side hallways in every arena. They greeted her with the same dismissive apathy as always.

"On behalf of Mr. Maddox-" Seth Rollins began

"Actually," Carly interrupted, "I'm here on behalf of Mr. Helmsley."

"Oh, are you now?" said Ambrose, "And why is Hunter involving himself in this?"

"Because of the mess you three caused last week," said Carly.

"Is that the excuse he's going with," Rollins muttered with a wry smile, "Alright, princess, go on."

"This concerns Mr. Ambrose and Mr. Rollins," said Carly.

"Aww, there isn't anything for me?" said Reigns, tilting his head and grinning.

"Mr. Helmsley said that he wasn't worried about you, and he'd deal with you later," Carly said frostily.

Ambrose and Rollins seemed amused by this. Reigns' reaction, on the other hand, surprised Carly. It almost looked like he was pouting.

"Mr. Ambrose will be in the opening match tonight against Randy Orton," Carly continued, "And Mr. Rollins will be main eventing against Mr. Helmsley. Both will be no-disqualifications matches."

Rollins' face grew a little more serious at that, but Ambrose's grin widened, and he seemed to have even more trouble standing still.

"Alright, you said your piece," said Reigns, "You can go now."

Mr. Reigns had the sort of voice that one did not argue with. Carly took a step away, but that apprehension clawed at her stomach once again. These were the sorts of matches were people got seriously hurt. Much as she did not get along with the Shield, she didn't want to see that happen to anyone.

"Mr. Ambrose? Mr. Rollins?" she said, unable to entirely disguise the note of worry in her voice, "Good luck."

Rollins scoffed, shaking his head, and Ambrose sneered and turned away. Reigns held Carly's gaze. She found it difficult, for some reason, to pull her eyes from his and walk away.

xXx

Randy Orton won the match. This did not come as much of a surprise to Carly, though she avoided watching it go down. Dean Ambrose was a man who did not know when to quit, it was true. But Randy Orton was far more experienced, and had a reputation for being entirely without mercy.

"Water, Mr. Orton?" asked Carly, offering him a bottle as he walked backstage.

"Thank you, Carly," he said.

He smiled down at her, then swaggered triumphantly off a little ways to where Mr. Helmsley and Ms. McMahon were waiting for him. Carly did not follow him. Her conscience was needling her. She had to know if Mr. Ambrose was alright.

Her heart sank a little as the Shield made their way backstage. Reigns and Rollins supported Ambrose as he stumbled, barely able to hold his head up. But at least he was walking. At least he was conscious.

"Take it easy, man. Take it easy," Reigns was saying.

"We've got you, Dean," said Rollins.

Rollins and Reigns suddenly noticed Carly standing there, staring. She was unable to speak, thoroughly abashed by force of their eyes.

"Are you proud of yourself now, princess?' Rollins spat.

Reigns simply glared at her in utter contempt. Carly watched them pass, likely on their way to get Ambrose looked at by the medics.

"Is something wrong, Carly?"

Ms. McMahon's voice startled Carly out of her thoughts. Carly turned to see Ms. McMahon eying her keenly. Mr. Helmsley and Mr. Orton were watching her as well.

"Oh, it's nothing, Ms. McMahon," said Carly, attempting to smile.

"No, you look like you have something on your mind," said Ms. McMahon, "What is it?"

"Well…" Carly began a little nervously, "I don't want to question your decisions, and I mean no disrespect, it's just that… I mean, is this really necessary? Does the Shield really deserve this kind of punishment? The crowds all do seem to love them, and…"

"Carly, you know you can't trust a mass of people to know what's best for entertainment," said Ms. McMahon, "Or what's best for business, for that matter. As for the Shield, while I'll admit they have potential, some people just work best when kept on a leash, and the Shield needs to be taught to heel."

Carly nodded, not entirely convinced.

"If it's still bothering you, why don't you sit in on the main event tonight?" Mr. Helmsley suggested, "I want you ringside while I'm fighting Seth Rollins, Carly. Then you'll know what kind of men they really are. Now, I'm sure you have work to do until then."

"O-of course, sir. Whatever you think is best," Carly said doubtfully, doing her level best not to look as distraught as she felt.

xXx

"Do you really think that's a good idea?" Stephanie asked when Carly had walked away.

"Of course I do," Triple H smiled, "When she sees what I'm going to do to Seth Rollins, she'll never have the nerve to question us again.

xXx

Carly paced nervously near the ring. They had sent her out during a commercial break, but she could tell from the sudden flurry of activity among the camera crew that they were back on the air. She was standing near enough to the announcers' table to hear them discussing the main event between who they referred to as "the two most intelligent competitors in the business" – the Cerebral Assassin and the Architect of the Shield.

When Carly heard her own name mentioned (Michael Cole was commenting on her presence at ringside) she stepped a ways away. She didn't want to call more attention to herself than necessary. She didn't want to be here at all. Whatever way this ended, it wasn't going to be pleasant to watch. Mr. Helmsley must have his reasons for wanting her to be there. She wouldn't dream of disobeying and running backstage while she still had the chance, although she really wanted to.

The sound of radio chatter filled the arena, heralding the arrival of Seth Rollins. Carly watched him walk down through the audience. She'd never fully appreciated how loudly they cheered for the Shield. The people standing on the aisles reached out to pat Rollins on the back as he passed by. It seemed the all really loved him.

With cat-like ease, Rollins leapt over the barricade into a forward roll. He then climbed up onto the ropes to acknowledge the crowd, which made them cheer all the louder. Noticing Carly standing nearby, Rollins' eager expression twisted into one of distaste. He hopped down and leaned over the ropes to talk to her.

"What are _you _doing here?" he asked.

"Mr. Helmsley wanted me to watch the match," said Carly.

"From ringside?" Rollins raised his eyebrows doubtfully, "Are you sure you're not here to help Trips out a little?"

"Mr. Rollins!" Carly exclaimed, "I wouldn't dream of doing anything of the sort."

Rollins tilted his head, studying her face. Carly held his gaze uneasily. It felt like he was looking right through her when he stared hard at her like that.

"No…" he said slowly, "I almost believe you wouldn't. Just stay out of the way, understand?"

Before Carly could answer, Mr. Helmsley's entrance music started up, drawing both her and Rollins' attention to the stage. The man who stepped into the shifting, multi-colored lights wasn't Mr. Helmsley anymore, not hardly. Carly used to be unable to think of him as anything but "Mr. Helmsley". Now she couldn't see him as anything but Triple H. She looked from the large man walking down the ramp to the young man standing at the ready in the ring. Carly gulped. This was not going to be pretty.


	4. Boiling Point

**Boiling Point**

The bell finally rang, signally the end of the match, and Carly was able to breathe again. She'd felt sick the entire time. The steel steps ajar in one corner, the busted announcers' table, and the chair laying in the ring bespoke a prolonged and painful match. Now Triple H stood victorious over the crumpled body of a barely conscious Seth Rollins.

But it was over now. She would follow Triple H out as he strutted up the ramp, the medics would take care of Mr. Rollins, and she would be content to never watch another fight again.

That's what Carly thought would happen. Triple H started to walk away, then looked down at his opponent. Seth Rollins was trying, with the referee's help, to drag himself to the medics waiting just outside the ring. A strange, unsettling grin formed on Triple H's face. He shoved the referee aside, barking at the medics to stay back.

"Sir, what are you doing?" Carly asked worriedly.

"What anyone does with a dog that just won't listen," he said, "Obedience training."

"But Mr. Helmsley, I think he's hurt!" Carly called.

Either Triple H didn't hear, or he chose to ignore her protests. He grabbed a handful of Seth Rollins' hair. The younger man cried out in pain as Triple H dragged him into the corner, slamming his head repeatedly against the turnbuckle. Triple H flung him to the ground, pointing warningly at the anxious medics standing by.

Carly stared in shock. She knew that Triple H was an excellent fighter, ruthless even, but the fight was over. He'd won. Why didn't he just walk away? Carly dashed to the top of the steel steps.

"Please, stop him!" she shouted at the ref, "Do something!"

The referee only shook his head apologetically. In the ring, Seth Rollins tried desperately to drag himself out of harm's way. Triple H landed kick after vicious kick to his ribs, and Rollins groaned through gritted teeth. Carly pressed a hand over her mouth to stifle a horrified gasp. Triple H grabbed Rollins again, maneuvering him into position for a pedigree.

"Please, Mr. Helmsley, let him go! He's had enough!" Carly shouted.

The crowd roared in anger as Rollins hit the floor. He lay there, motionless. How badly was he hurt? Carly couldn't tell. She could hear the commentators' worried voices in the background. Triple H hauled Rollins' limp body upright, preparing for another pedigree.

Something inside Carly snapped. She was inside the ring, the chair was in her hands, she was running, running at Triple H's unprotected back. He never saw her coming.

The crowd exploded. Triple H had been knocked to his knees by the force of the blow. He stood up slowly, turning to face Carly. She still gripped the chair with hands to numb to let go. As soon as his back was turned, the medics pulled Seth Rollins from the ring.

Triple H advanced on her, glaring in white hot rage. Carly was suddenly very aware of how very large he was. The merciless grimace he had worn while attacking Seth Rollins was now focused on her. He ripped the chair away from her and flung it aside. She backed away, held up shaking hands.

"Sir, please," she stammered, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Please, I didn't-"

Triple H seized Carly by the shoulders and shook her like a ragdoll. He lifted her so her feet barely touched the floor, forcing her terrified eyes to his face.

"Do you think I'm playing around?" he growled, "You have just made a very serious mistake, little girl."

Suddenly they were surrounded by referees and security, all of whom were speaking at once, trying to talk Triple H down. He didn't seem to notice them. His grip on Carly's shoulders never loosened, and his eyes never left hers. Carly wanted to cry or scream or beg for mercy, but she was frozen, unable to speak or even move. Triple H pulled her closer.

"I'll make you pay for this," he snarled.

Then he let go. Carly stumbled back, catching herself on the ropes. Triple H turned and stormed off, knocking employees aside with a sweep of his powerful arms.

Carly took a few shuddering breaths and willed herself not to start crying, not now. It was over, for the moment. But oh god, what had she done? Her legs shook as she stepped down from the ring. She dazedly brushed off the concerned questions and helping hands of the medics and referees.

Seth Rollins. Was he alright? She had to find out. She had to get to him. The medics had just finished securing him to the stretcher and were about to wheel the unconscious young man out. Without quite knowing why, she followed alongside the stretcher and out of the arena.

xXx

Carly stood just inside the doorway of the trainer's room, trying to remember how she got there, and _why_ she was there in the first place. The room was a flurry of activity. The doctors buzzed around the motionless Seth Rollins while Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns hovered nearby. Carly wondered if the authority had had their enforcers standing by to ensure that these two didn't come to the aid of their teammate.

That's right. The events following the match came rushing back into Carly's mind, particularly the menacing fury in Triple H's voice, and in his eyes. Carly shivered. She reached a hand towards the wall to steady herself as her knees gave way. Suddenly, a strong arm caught her around the waist, holding her upright.

"Hey, are you alright?" a low, warm voice asked gently, "Triple H didn't hurt you, did he?"

Carly looked up into the concerned grey eyes of Roman Reigns. She was speechless for a moment. If anybody had cause to hate her, it was Reigns and Ambrose. She had stood up to be counted with the Authority, and they were the ones responsible for all that the Shield had suffered in recently. Reigns had no reason to care about her well-being. The worry in his eyes must be for Rollins' sake.

"Yes, no, I'm fine," Carly stammered, "Is Mr. Rollins going to be alright?"

Reigns lifted his head and locked eyes with Ambrose, who looked more or less recovered from his earlier match, thankfully. Ambrose stopped incessantly pacing for a moment as Reigns spoke.

"I've seen him in worse shape than this, and he's always pulled through before," he said, "Seth is tough. Don't worry about him. Like he says, you can't keep a good dog down."

Reigns had raised his voice to say that, and Carly understood that it was for Ambrose's benefit. Ambrose gave a twitchy nod in Reigns' direction and resumed his agitated pacing. Carly was suddenly aware that Reigns still had his arm around her waist. She sidestepped towards the door, breaking away from him.

"I beg your pardon, I'm sorry," she said, trying to steady her voice to its usual professionalism, "I believe, considering the circumstances, it would be prudent for me to leave. As quickly as possible."

"I'll walk you out," Reigns said, "It isn't safe."

Walk her out? So that's what he was after. Reigns was looking for revenge for all the trouble she'd caused them. Carly had to get out of there, and off the property, at once.

"Thank you for your concern, Mr. Reigns," she began, "But-"

"Roman," he interrupted.

"I… I'm sorry?" Carly asked, confused.

"You can just call me Roman. It's alright," he said, something too faint to be an amused smile flitting across his face.

He just smiled at her. So he _was_ genuinely concerned about her? But why? Carly knew how things worked around here. You never stop anything from taking retribution on your enemies. There was no way the Shield would interfere with the Authority when they got around to teaching Carly a lesson. Roman Reigns had no reason to offer her protection, but… something in his face made Carly believe that he was sincere.

"Thank you for your concern, Roman," she said, "But you should stay with your friends. I'll be alright."

"You be _careful_," he said earnestly.

"Right," Carly nodded.

She watched for a moment as Roman turned back to Dean Ambrose, halting his pacing with a reassuring hand on his shoulder. Carly hurried away.


	5. The Measure of a McMahon

**The Measure of a McMahon**

Carly didn't care if it was a lie. She called in sick for the entire following week. She'd heard that Seth Rollins was a little concussed and more than a little banged up, but was otherwise on the mend, so that was good news. That was the _only _good news.

Carly heard nothing from the Authority, a fact which was both a relief and a near-constant source of anxiety. She knew how they operated. She knew that any insubordination was sternly dealt with, and it was only a matter of time before she learned what the consequence of her actions would be.

She was not surprised, therefore, when she received a phone call ordering her to report to the arena for the broadcast on Monday night. There was the unspoken threat of an "or else" in the conversation, and Carly knew better than to ask after it. She had done wrong, she understood that. She had broken the rules, caused a scene, and embarrassed the entire company. That being the case, Carly steeled herself to accept whatever disciplinary action the Authority took.

Her orders were clear: be backstage when the broadcast started and be ready to go out to the ring when called for. Carly kept her head down and made eye contact with no one as she stood out of the way and as out of sight as possible. She could feel the stares of the other employees, and why shouldn't they stare? After all, she was a marked woman. The pre-show matches went on, but Carly could not remember afterwards what the outcomes were, or even who had been involved.

Carly's heart lurched as she recognized the beginning of Stephanie McMahon's entrance music. She was almost surprised that she apparently wouldn't have to go out there and face Triple H. She couldn't tell whether or not she should be relieved about that. All too soon, the music faded away, and Ms. McMahon's voice echoed through the backstage monitors as she addressed the audience.

"Now, I'm sure you're all aware of what happened last week," she was saying, "We had a bit of an… unfortunate personnel issue."

Carly felt sick. It was almost unbelievable how spectacularly she had messed this up. She had one job: do as she was told. And she hadn't even managed to get that right.

"In that this was such a public display of disrespect to this company," Ms. McMahon continued, "It's only fitting that it is also resolved publicly. Carly, will you please step out here?"

"That's your cue," one of the stagehands said, "Come on, it's a bad idea to keep the boss waiting."

As Carly was too petrified to take a step, the stagehand pulled her along by her shoulder, giving her a gentle push towards the stage. Carly stepped hesitantly into the bright arena. The crowd's response was a subdued version of the reception that Ms. McMahon had received. As far as they were concerned, Carly _was _a McMahon, albeit a lesser-known one.

"Come down here, Carly," Ms. McMahon ordered.

Carly willed her legs to obey. She was always in awe of how stunning Ms. McMahon appeared. She was so tall, and beautiful, and always perfectly poised – the undisputed ruler of this company. Even at such a distance, being addressed by her was enough to make Carly feel terribly insignificant. She felt somehow shorter with every step she took.

She somehow made her way up the stairs and managed not to get hung up on the ropes as she stepped into the ring. Another stagehand passed her a microphone. When Carly looked up at Ms. McMahon, all her suppressed panic came pouring out in a rushed and stammering apology.

"If I may, Ms. McMahon, I beg y-your pardon," Carly said, her voice tensed and trembling, "I would like to apologize f-for my actions last week. Th-they were… I w-was completely out of line… inexcusable. I accept full r-responsibility for-"

"It's alright, Carly. I understand," said Ms. McMahon with a sympathetic smile.

The confusion on Carly's face was only equaled by that vocalized by the audience.

"This really is an incredible experience, isn't it?" Ms. McMahon turned her dazzling smile to the spectators, "A truly amazing business. And you just got carried away, didn't you, Carly? Everybody wants to be a hero. Everybody wants to be the knight in shining armor riding to the rescue. We can all sympathize with that, can't we? Yes, of course. However, you did attack the COO of this company, and that is something that will not be tolerated. There have to be consequences for such actions, even for a McMahon."

Stephanie McMahon turned her focus back to Carly, slowly closing the distance between them.

"You want to play the game, Carly?" she said, "I'm going to let you do just that. Later tonight, you're going to be in a 3-on-1 handicap match against Layla, Alicia Fox, and Tamina."

The blood rushed out of Carly's face. Her entire body went cold. She was only dimly aware of the shocked reaction of the crowd.

"But Ms. McMahon," she gasped, barely remembering how to breathe, "I'm not a wrestler, I've never been in a fight in my life, please-"

"Carly, calm down. There's no reason to be so nervous," Ms. McMahon interrupted, "You can choose not to go through with it. If you refuse, it's not like I'm going to fire you."

Her smile hardened as she repeated herself with an entirely different meaning:

"It's not like I'm going to fire _you_."

Ms. McMahon paused only a moment to let the initial consternation of the audience pass.

"You remember the princess that you jumped in to save from the big scary dragon?" she continued, "That sweet little puppy dog, Seth Rollins? If you refuse, he'll be out of a job, _permanently_. So really, Carly, the choice is yours. But I have the feeling that you'll give all of us a great show."

Stephanie McMahon brushed past the stunned and speechless Carly, strutting up the ramp to her music and a rousing chorus of dissent from the onlookers.

xXx

Carly somehow managed to make it backstage. She didn't know quite what she expected the consequences to be, but being put in a match was nothing she'd even considered. How much time did she have, anyway? Enough to make out a will?

Her jumbled thoughts were jolted back into alignment when somebody abruptly threw an arm around her shoulders. Carly looked sharply up at the tall, messy-haired young man who had appeared beside her.

"Mr. Ambrose!" she gasped, "You scared me."

"Come on, kid," he said, "We gotta talk strategy."

Without give her a chance to reply, he started to walk, pulling her along with him. Carly knew she should try to get away. After all, she was being dragged who-knows-where by a man with a reputation for insanity, but really, how much worse could things get? By the time her muddled brain had sorted that out, they were a fair distance from the busy backstage and locker rooms.

"And enough with the 'mister' stuff," Dean Ambrose continued, shaking a finger in her face, "Do we look like the Authority to you? Do you think we stand on ceremony here? No."

They rounded the corner into a side hallway where Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns were waiting. Waiting for her? Why? This had to be some kind of trick, she was sure of it.

"Good, you found her," Seth Rollins said.

"What's all this about?" said Carly, backing away slightly.

"Ok, Carly, we were listening in on Stephanie's plans to put you back in line," he continued, "And we're going to find a way to make sure that I keep my job and you don't get pounded into the pavement. Sound good?"

"What's the catch?" Carly narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

"I'm sorry, what?" Rollins asked, seemingly taken aback.

"Of course you'll want something in exchange for helping me out," Carly said, "So what is it? I don't really have any authority around here, so I can't promise much, but I want to know what you expect in return before this goes any farther."

Carly wasn't sure why that remark had rendered the three men speechless for a moment. They glanced at each other in apparent confusion. Perhaps they hadn't expected her to be that aggressive of a negotiator.

"She really thinks we have an ulterior motive, doesn't she?" Roman asked the other two.

Carly tilted her head at this. She hadn't expected that kind of response. This was business, and business was about give and take. They were offering to give, so naturally she needed to know what they intended to take.

"Sweetheart, you've been hanging around the Authority too long," Rollins shook his head incredulously at Carly.

"But don't you worry," Ambrose said, wrapping his arms around Carly's shoulders, "We've got you now. You're safe with us."

As he spoke, Ambrose planted a kiss on the side of Carly's head and started stroking her hair with one hand. What on earth was this madman talking about? The Authority had structure, and order, and security. But ever since she'd met these three, she hadn't been safe at all.

Her bewilderment must have been apparent from her expression, judging by the amusement of Rollins and Reigns. Roman pursed his lips and looked away in an effort not to laugh. Carly wasn't sure what exactly about this was so funny.

"Ease off, Dean," Rollins said as he disentangled Carly from his arms, "You're scaring her."

Ambrose stepped back, raising one hand in compliance and placing the other emphatically over his heart.

"I'm just trying to make her feel loved," he protested, "I mean, that's clearly the problem here. She doesn't feel loved, and that's why she's looking for validation and attention from the Authority, which is a terrible-"

"Guys, stop!" Carly interrupted, "Just hold on a second. I don't understand. Why are you helping me if you don't get anything out of it?"

"Haven't you heard of us?" said Ambrose, "We're the _hounds of justice_. We're the good guys around here. And Stephanie throwing her own sister to the sharks is about as unjust as you get, know what I mean?"

Carly stared at him blankly. No, she didn't know what he meant. Ms. McMahon was doing what was best for the security and image of the company, that's all.

"Carly, you put yourself in danger to save one of my brothers," said Roman, clapping Rollins on the back, "As far as I'm concerned, that makes you one of the good guys, too."

That's right, they did call themselves brothers. Carly had seen them backstage after tough matches. When one was hurt, the others would help him, even carry him if necessary. Now that she thought about it, she'd never seen Mr. Helmsley or Mr. Orton show that kind of concern for each other. Their partnership was strictly businesslike. The Shield, it seemed, was something different.

"And that's why we're gonna help you out," said Rollins, "No tricks, no ulterior motives. Will you hear us out?"

"Alright," Carly said.

"Good," he continued, "If we heard right, the only thing Stephanie really asked you to do was to show up for the match. She didn't say anything about finishing it. So if we were to interfere a few minutes in, she wouldn't have any way to go back on her word."

Ambrose nodded in agreement.

"You're off the hook, he's off the hook, everybody goes home happy. Except, of course, for Hunter and Stephanie, but nobody wants them to be happy anyway," he said.

"I don't think that's going to work," Carly shook her head, "Then the Authority will just come after you three even more."

"We can take care of them, don't worry," Rollins smiled confidently.

"But for how long?" asked Carly.

"As long as it takes," said Roman.

"No, I'm not going to let you take that chance," Carly said firmly, "I won't risk Mr. Rollins'… I mean Seth's career over my own mistake."

"You think saving me was a mistake?" Seth raised his eyebrows.

"No! that isn't it at all," said Carly, "It's just that, Ms. McMahon… I humiliated her husband in front of thousands of people. She isn't going to be satisfied until she's seen me suffer for it. And if my going through with this match is what it's going to take to appease her, then that's what I'll do."

"You're gonna get torn to pieces. It's a suicide mission," Seth protested.

"But afterwards, I'll be safe," Carly looked up at him earnestly, "And so will you. I'm going to make certain that this ends tonight. Nobody else is going to get hurt because of me."

Something in the expressions of all three softened. Seth held her gaze for a second, then sighed, looked at the other two, and shrugged. Roman shook his head disbelievingly.

"You know, Carly, you have a surprising capacity for honor, for a McMahon. But you're just as crazy as _he _is," he said, gesturing at Dean.

"_And you wouldn't want me any other way_," Dean grinned at Roman, starting off sing-song and gradually transitioning into full song, "_You may be right. I may be crazy._ Sing it with me, Carly!"

Surprised into complying by the sudden demand, Carly found herself joining in, to the further amusement of Seth and Roman. There was something endearing in Dean's spontaneous singing.

"_But it just may be a lunatic you're looking for_," she sang, giggling, "_It's too late to fight. It's too late to change me. You may be wrong for all I know, but you may be right_."

"There! Got her to smile. That's a start," said Dean with a self-satisfied smirk.

"Alright, reel it in, Billy Joel," Seth laughed, "We've got plans to make."

"And I have to find something to wear," Carly said wryly, "Business casual is not practical choice for wrestling. I don't even have any entrance music."

"Leave everything to us," said Roman, patting her on the shoulder encouragingly.

"If you're gonna go out there and get the crap kicked out of you, you're gonna do it in style," Dean broke off when he noticed the exasperated looks on the faces of the other two, "That sounded less reassuring than I meant it to…"

xXx

The next hour was a bit of a blur for Carly. Dean ran off and managed to charm Renee Young into pulling some strings, which resulted in an intern being sent out to find women's athletic clothes. The outcome was a pair of black yoga pants, a blue sports bra, and a pair of boots that Dean claimed nobody would miss. It didn't look very official, but anything was better than a blouse and a pencil skirt. Roman went to have a word with the technicians about Carly's entrance.

While they were thus occupied, Seth stayed behind to give Carly a crash-course in wrestling.

"We're gonna try to avoid the two main ways you can hurt yourself without your opponent's help," he explained, "The first being not stretching out enough, and the second being trying to use moves that you aren't familiar with."

"But I don't know any moves at all," said Carly.

"That's a definite setback. I can't really teach you any of the things Roman or I would do, so I think your best bet is to fight like Dean."

"How do I do that?"

"In general, don't worry about being fancy, be aggressive, and never stop swinging," Seth laughed, "In specific, I can give you a few pointers."

All too soon, Carly was changed into her begged and borrowed (and possibly stolen) gear and had followed Seth and Dean to the wings.

"Everything taken care of?" Seth asked.

"All set," Roman nodded, glaring at a rather nervous-looking stagehand.

"You should probably put your hair up, Carly," said Seth, passing her a hair-tie, "It'll give them less to grab onto."

"Here, put this on, too," Dean said.

He handed Carly a spare sleeveless black hoodie of his and one of the Shield's old tactical vests.

"I look like I'm drowning in these things," Carly said as she zipped them up.

"Ah, but that's good," Dean grinned, "You'll get more sympathy from the audience if you look smaller and more pathetic than you usually do."

Carly nodded, unconvinced and not sure if she should feel insulted by that remark.

"Wait a minute, why am I dressing up to look like one of you?" Carly asked.

"Because if you're fighting for us," said Roman, "You _are _one of us, for tonight at least."

"And we're gonna be your escort," said Seth, "Don't worry, we won't stay in there and we won't interfere."

The ring announcer's voice echoed through the backstage monitors, announcing a 3-on-1 handicap match. Carly swallowed hard. They would start with introducing the opposition, and pretty soon it'd be her turn.

"You know," said Seth, "You could always get yourself disqualified by count out, or just not even try to kick out when somebody pins you."

"No," Carly shook her head, "That won't be enough."

"Nothing will ever be enough," Dean muttered.

"You're up next, Miss McMahon," the stagehand said.

"Show time," said Seth, "Get ready, boys."

Dean, Seth, and Roman pulled on their trademark skeletal masks and followed Carly and the stagehand into position. Carly didn't quite know what music she expected, but she was surprised to hear the radio chatter that usually heralded the Shield. Though she couldn't see Roman's mouth under that mask, she could tell from his eyes that he was smiling broadly.

"Alright, go," the stagehand directed.

"Representing the Shield," the announcer began, "Weighing one hundred thirty-five pounds - Carly McMahon!"

The audience's reaction was conflicted. About half kept cheering wildly for the hounds of justice, while the rest voiced emphatic disapproval at the presence of a McMahon. When Carly reached the end of the ramp, she stopped and turned back to face the Shield.

"Get out there and give 'em hell, princess," said Dean, giving her a supportive clap on the shoulder.

"Remember," said Seth, "Whatever you do, don't let them get you into their corner. We'll be right in back in case anything goes wrong after the match, okay?"

"Don't let them keep you down, Carly," Roman nodded.

Carly nodded. As she took the final steps towards the ring, she could hear Roman roaring in encouragement, somehow giving her the push she needed to climb up the stairs and step into the ring.


	6. On Behalf of Mr Rollins

**On Behalf of Mr. Rollins**

Carly removed the vest and hoodie, tossing them out of the ring. It looked like she would be up against Alicia Fox first. The three Divas' eyes followed Carly as they stared her down with confident, threatening smiles. Carly got the feeling that she had just stepped into a lions' den.

xXx

"_And what a match we've got for you here on Monday night, ladies and gentlemen. As punishment for insubordination, Stephanie McMahon has placed her half-sister Carly in a 3-on-1 handicap match."_

xXx

"Miss McMahon?"

Carly hadn't noticed the referee walk up to her. She recognized him as John Cone, one of the honest refs.

"I'll do everything I can to make sure this is a fair fight for you, alright?" he said, "Are you ready?"

Carly gulped, nodding shakily.

"Alright. Good luck."

At his signal the bell rang, and Carly was barely able to dodge a boot to the face from the charging Alicia Fox.

xXx

"_And Alicia Fox wasting no time in going after Carly, whose strategy seems to be simply staying out of reach."_

"_Can you blame her? This young lady has never been in a wrestling match in her life."_

"_Alicia Fox finally getting hold of Carly's arm there, and whipping her into a clothesline!"_

xXx

The back of Carly's head collided with the floor. It had happened so fast, she had forgotten Seth's advice about tucking her chin when falling to avoid that. At least she was still near the center of the ring, and currently not in any danger of being trapped in their corner. She rolled on to her stomach, just making in to her hands and knees before something came crashing down on her head.

xXx

"_Alicia Fox with a powerful scissors kick, not even giving Carly a chance to get to her feet."_

"_And then going on to repeatedly slam Carly face-first into the ground. At this rate, it doesn't look like Miss McMahon will be able to land a single hit on her opponent."_

xXx

"Hey! Not the hair! Not the hair!" Carly heard the referee yelling.

Alicia Fox released her. The taste of blood filled Carly's mouth.

_Focus_, Carly thought. _Can't let her keep me down_.

Carly scrambled to her feet. She stumbled back, tried to dodge away, but Alicia's hand clamped onto her wrist. Carly was yanked forward, then suddenly felt herself being lifted, spun through the air, and then –

xXx

"_Now a backbreaker from Alicia Fox!"_

"_And, oh! Adding insult to injury with a slap to the face."_

"_Carly McMahon is powerless against the impressive maneuvers of Alicia Fox."_

"_Wait a minute, what's she setting up for here? A headlock driver! And Miss McMahon is laid out in the center of the ring."_

"_Now that's interesting. That looked a lot like Dirty Deeds, the finishing move of Dean Ambrose."_

"_Why is that interesting? Alicia Fox is allowed to use any moves she likes. Don't go making it sound suspicious like that."_

"_What's suspicious is that Alicia Fox did not go for the cover just now. Instead she makes the tag to Layla, as Carly McMahon finally gets to her feet."_

xXx

Carly's mind dizzily registered that Layla was coming at her, but not fast enough for her to react. Layla grabbed her by the shoulders and flipped her down. The force of the impact jolted up Carly's spine and rattled through her skull. She sprang up and turned around to see Layla running for the ropes. Carly darted after her.

xXx

"_And Layla bounces off the ropes and right into a knee to the stomach from Carly McMahon!"_

"_Miss McMahon is gaining momentum, as she unleashes a flurry of blows onto Layla! Looks like she's not out of this fight yet."_

"_And it looks like she's learned a few tricks from Dean Ambrose."_

xXx

Carly kept swinging at Layla's unprotected head and back, though she didn't know how long she could keep it up, or what she should do next. The latter issue was decided for her when Layla's fist collided with her stomach.

xXx

"_Now Layla shoves Miss McMahon away, creating just enough space for a roundhouse kick to the chin of Carly McMahon."_

"_Miss McMahon is down on her hands and knees again. Layla comes off the ropes and delivers a brutal curbstomp!"_

"_I think it's safe to say that it's no coincidence Layla used the finishing move of Seth Rollins just now."_

"_There you go with your conspiracy theories again, just-"_

"_Alright, then you come up with a convenient explanation why none of these Divas are even trying to go for a cover! This isn't a wrestling match. This is the systematic torture of a young lady who got on the Authority's bad side."_

"_Torture? Oh come on, now. Are we even watching the same match? Because as far as I can tell, these Divas are fighting fair."_

"_Just because they haven't broken any rules does not make this a fair fight."_

xXx

Carly's head was pounding. It hurt so badly that she felt like she was going to be sick. She dragged herself upright, unable to do anything to defend herself as Tamina ran towards her.

xXx

"_Tamina drops Miss McMahon with a boot to the face!"_

"_Tamina doesn't even give her a chance to breathe before lifting Miss McMahon across her shoulders for a Samoan drop."_

"_And Tamina is backing off now. I think we all know what's coming next."_

xXx

Somebody was yelling at Carly to get up. She didn't know if it was Tamina, or if she was saying it to herself. Carly barely knew where she was anymore. All she knew was that everything hurt, and she had to stand up. She never saw what hit her.

xXx

"_And a spear by Tamina nearly breaks Carly McMahon in half!"_

"_Tamina's finally going for the cover – and she's got it."_

"_Thank goodness that's over. That was difficult to watch."_

"_Wait a minute. What's going on? Alicia Fox is over at the announcers' table now. She's clearing it off."_

"_Layla's grabbing a steel chair. She's passing it to Tamina."_

"_Oh no. Don't do this, Tamina, Carly's in no condition to fight back!"_

xXx

Carly pulled herself to her knees. She'd heard the bell ring. It was finally over. She just wanted to go lay down somewhere and never move again.

A violent blow to the back sent Carly sprawling. Oh god, Tamina had a chair. Carly stretched out her arms, trying to drag herself out of the ring. She screamed in pain as Tamina's heel slammed down onto her left wrist, crushing it against the floor.

She rolled to her side, holding her left arm tightly against herself. Pain shot through her midsection as Tamina landed kick after vicious kick to her ribs. Someone grabbed her, pulled her out of the ring. Carly's body thudded to the floor.

xXx

"_These three Divas are mercilessly dragging Miss McMahon over to the announcers' table. I have a very bad feeling about what's coming next."_

xXx

Somebody dragged Carly to a standing position, holding her upright by her arms. A figure standing before her, Tamina, came into focus. Tamina threw back her head and roared in a mocking imitation of Roman Reigns.

xXx

"_Come on, ladies. Don't do this!"_

"_Hasn't she had enough? No, no, no!"_

xXx

Carly felt herself falling for an instant before her back slammed into the table. The back of her head bounced off a chair as the table collapsed beneath her.

xXx

"_Carly McMahon has been completely decimated by a triple powerbomb through the announcers' table. Clearly, the Authority wanted to make an example of this young lady, and to send a message to the Shield and anyone who would side with them."_

"_And speaking of the Shield, here comes the cavalry now!"_

xXx

Dean, Seth, and Roman bolted down to ringside. They hadn't been able to get past the Authority's goon squad until after the Divas put Carly through the table. Dean got there first, skidding to a halt in front of the ruins of the announcer's table.

Carly's eyelids fluttered open and she stared unseeingly at the ceiling. There was blood on her mouth. Dean found that the sight of the dark-haired, dark-eyed girl reminded him of Seth, and he realized that he was more worried about her than he'd thought. He wanted to help her up and carry her out, just like he would do for Seth and Roman if they were in that condition. But Dean thought better of it and stood back, letting the medics do their work.

Alicia, Layla, and Tamina were still hanging around for some reason. Roman stopped in front of the three women, glaring sternly at them.

"You three are done here, alright? Now get lost," he ordered.

Roman turned away as Alicia Fox started mouthing off. He wasn't worried about her now. John Cone and a few medics hovered around Carly, who had somehow managed to sit up. She seemed to be deaf to the questions and protests of the medics, instead using their shoulders as leverage as she tried to get to her feet.

"That kid doesn't even know where she is," Dean said, shaking his head.

"What does she think she's doing?" asked Roman, "Why won't she stay down?"

"Well, you did tell her not to," Dean shrugged.

Roman pursed his lips worriedly. While he had to admire the grit and sheer stubbornness that motivated Carly to struggle to stand, he could tell she was in bad shape. He'd seen the beating she'd just taken. What's more, he knew what it felt like to crash through that table.

"Somebody's gotta stop her before she hurts herself," said Roman.

xXx

Moving hurt. Thinking hurt. Breathing was agony. Carly's vision refused to focus anymore. Everything around her was a blur of bright lights, bright colors, and a constant flow of loud sound. She was standing. She didn't know how or when she had gotten up. She just knew that she had to stand.

Someone's hands held her upper arms. Someone was standing in front of her, leaning down so his face was level with hers. Someone with warm brown eyes.

"Hey, you with me, Carly?" Seth was saying, "It's over."

"It's over?" Carly repeated uncomprehendingly.

"Yeah. I've got you," he said, "You're gonna be alright. We're gonna get you to the doctors, ok?"

Carly nodded slowly, trying very hard to process what Seth was saying. She wondered why everything looked all grey all of the sudden.

"Ok. That's good," she said, "Because I feel awful."

xXx

Seth Rollins caught Carly as she fainted. He laid the unconscious girl gently on the ground, stepping aside to let the paramedics get to her.

"How is she?" Roman asked.

"Out cold," said Seth, "I'm honestly surprised she lasted this long."

"The princess is tougher than she looks. Do you think Stephanie was trying to tell us something with all that song and dance?" Dean asked sarcastically, his mouth twisted into a grimace.

"I wish she would've told _us_, then," Seth snapped, "Instead of taking it out on-"

Seth broke off. He folded his arms tightly as he struggled to maintain his composure. Roman watched his face concernedly.

"What's wrong?" Roman asked.

"I mean, that was just vindictive. Using our moves against her like that?" said Seth, "That was… that was sick."

"We all wanted to run in here and stop it, Seth," Roman said, laying a comforting hand on Seth's back, "But we promised."

"We shouldn't have agreed to this!" Seth said forcefully, "We shouldn't have let her do it."

Something like guilt clouded Seth's face as he watched the paramedics tending to Carly.

"Let's go," said Dean, hitting Seth lightly on the arm, "I don't know about you two, but I don't think we oughta let her be alone right now."

xXx

Carly was aware of the low hum of men's voices and dull pangs that shot through her ribs when she breathed. She opened her eyes to a dimly lit hospital room. She almost didn't recognize the Shield in street clothes, and with dry hair. Roman sat on a chair beside her, Dean sat on the end of her bed, and Seth was perched on the arm of a chair at the other end of the room. All three broke off their conversation when they heard Carly stir.

"Hey, she lives," said Dean, "How are you feeling, kid?"

"What-" Carly began. She started to sit up, gasping slightly when the pain in her ribs spiked. She felt Roman's hands on her shoulders, easing her back down.

"Try not to move too much," he said, "Cracked ribs don't like getting shifted around."

"Cracked ribs?" Carly asked, her voice a dry rasp. She knew Tamina had hit her pretty forcefully, but she didn't know it had been enough to break bones.

"Hold on," Roman said.

He slipped one hand beneath Carly's head, supporting it while he held a glass of water up to her lips.

"Yeah, cracked ribs, and a concussion, and a broken wrist," said Dean, "Take it from us, kid, when the Authority wants to put you down, they put you down _hard_."

Seth stood abruptly and walked to the window.

When Carly was finished drinking, Roman gently lowered her head back onto the pillow. Carly closed her eyes and waited for the pounding in her skull to stop before speaking.

"What are you three doing here?" she asked.

"We wanted to make sure you were alright," Dean said, "Which is more than any of your friends in suits did. Can't imagine why."

"They're very busy," Carly said, but even she could hear how unconvinced the protest sounded.

"She is so far gone," Dean started, looking up at Roman.

"Dean," Roman said warningly.

"Anyway, it's good to see those eyes open," said Dean, "You had us worried for a while there."

"The whole thing is kind of fuzzy now," said Carly, "Did I… did I channel Dean at one point when I was fighting Layla?"

"You did, and it was beautiful," Dean grinned, "Whoever told you to do that gives good advice."

Dean turned back to look at Seth. Seth only gave a curt smile and shifted his weight a bit. Dean and Roman exchanged a significant glance, shrugging at each other. Carly wondered what was going on between them. It was strange. Seth hadn't said a word this whole time, and usually Dean was the one who couldn't keep still. Something was bothering Seth, but Carly couldn't figure out what. Roman glanced at the clock.

"We don't want to run out on you, Carly, but they're going to be kicking us out of here soon," he said, "So we'd better go."

"Of course," said Carly, "Thank you for staying with me."

"No problem," said Roman, "You rest up, alright? We'll be back to check on you tomorrow."

"Goodnight, princess," said Dean.

He leaned down to kiss her cheek with surprising gentleness.

"You're all being too nice to me," Carly said, "I'm starting to get suspicious. I'm not dying or anything, am I?"

Roman laughed. After everything the Shield had done for her today, and now seeing them like this, Carly couldn't help but remember the first time she met them. It was odd to think how wrong she'd been about these three young men.

"Could you guys wait for me at the car?" Seth asked suddenly, "I want to talk to Carly, if that's alright."

"Sure," Roman nodded.

He and Dean said goodbye once more, and left the room. Seth sat down on the edge of the bed and stared at the floor. Carly watched him, not sure if she should break the silence, or wait for him to speak.

"Carly, I'm sorry," he said finally, not looking up.

"For what?" Carly asked in surprise. None of what had happened was Seth's fault.

"I never should have let you go through with this," he said, "It's my job to come up with the plans. I should have thought of something, anything other than letting you go out and face a firing squad like that."

"Seth, none of this is on you. There's nothing you need to be sorry for. This was my plan, and it was my decision."

"I know that," Seth sighed, "And I know what you said, about not wanting anyone to get hurt because of you. But now _you _got hurt because of _me_."

So that's what was eating at him. His hands had agitatedly clenched into fists. Even so, they looked like kind hands. She had never seen him without his trademark black gloves before. Seth finally looked up at Carly. His face was so earnestly, sincerely concerned, and his voice was tensed with guilt. Carly wondered why she'd ever been afraid of him. She laid her hand on top of his.

"I wanted to do this," she said, "I wanted to finish this mess myself. It's no more than you or Dean or Roman would have done for each other."

Seth smiled slightly at that.

"You should've heard Roman talk after we found out what Stephanie had planned for you," he said, "I think he would've gone out and interfered with that match on his own if Dean and I hadn't been on board with helping you. But Dean felt the same way. And of course he's a fan of anybody who hits Triple H with a chair. And me, well…"

Seth's voice trailed off, and his expression turned more serious again.

"Last week, I heard you," he said, "I could hear you yelling at Triple H to stop, and for him to let me go. And I've been meaning to ask, why did you do it?"

Carly was silent for a moment. She hadn't really thought about it at the time. She'd just sort of acted on impulse.

"Well," she said slowly, "He kept hurting you. Even though the match was over. Even though you couldn't fight back. Even though he'd already won. And Dean and Roman weren't there to protect you, and nobody else was going to make him stop, so I felt like I had to, I guess."

Carly looked back at Seth. She couldn't quite place the look in his eyes. It was almost like pity, but without a trace of condescension. Maybe it was closer to respect, or approval. The corner of his mouth turned up in a wry smile.

"The next time Dean tries to hug you, I'm not going to stop him," he said, "You're not like the Authority, Carly. I don't know what you're doing siding with them all the time."

Carly glanced away. She'd never questioned it before. The Authority was responsible for all their employees. They were supposed to do what was right, and what was best for them. She'd just assumed that that's what the Authority was actually doing.

"I guess the thing I wanted to say most of all," Seth said, "Is thank you. For everything you did for us, and everything you did for me."

"You're welcome," Carly said softly, answering Seth's smile in kind.


	7. Turnabout is Fair Play

**Turnabout is Fair Play**

Once again, Carly received a phone call directing her to report to the arena on Monday night. The official reason was something to do with "closure" for all parties involved. Carly wondered how much groveling Ms. McMahon would make her do. All she wanted was for this whole mess to be forgotten so she could get back to work.

This time, Carly was sent out to the ring during a commercial break to wait for Ms. McMahon. Of course. That was a standard power play, stacking the deck firmly against the one who had to wait. Carly absently twirled the microphone in her hands, trying to ignore the crowd. They were probably chanting for C.M. Punk or something.

She'd kept her head down and kept out of sight until this point. She really hadn't wanted to run into the Shield. They weren't going to agree with or understand what she planned on doing, and Carly didn't want to have to explain it to them.

Ms. McMahon's entrance music began, bringing Carly's attention back to the present. Ms. McMahon walked down the ramp, completely unfazed by the negative reaction she inspired. Carly watched her curiously. Somehow, Ms. McMahon didn't seem as tall as usual. She was less regal, less imposing, even though she was smiling and strutting the way she always did. Something was different, but Carly couldn't make it what it was. Ms. McMahon stepped effortlessly into the ring and raised the microphone to her lips.

"May I just say, Carly, how good it is to see you back on your feet. Last week was very rough for you, I'm sure."

Ms. McMahon tilted her head sympathetically and paused as if she expected an answer. Carly said nothing. She had nothing _to _say. Besides, talking required breathing, and breathing hurt her ribs. The crowd, on the other hand, was more than willing to voice opinions on Carly's behalf.

"But I think you've learned your lesson now, haven't you, Carly?" Ms. McMahon continued, "And I'm willing to let bygones be bygones. As long as you're willing to apologize to me and to all these people for all the trouble you've caused, I'll be more than happy to forgive and-"

"_Sierra – Hotel – India – Echo – Lima – Delta. Shield."_

Ms. McMahon clenched her jaw in anger, glaring at the three young men walking down through the audience. Carly's heart sank. The last thing she needed right now was the Shield. She knew what they were going to think of her after this, and it made her wish the floor would open up and swallow her.

"What do you three think you're doing?" Ms. McMahon asked flatly.

"Sorry to interrupt you, Steph," said Dean, "But we just wanted to talk to the princess."

Carly's eyes stayed fixed on the Shield, though she felt Ms. McMahon's eyes on her. She shook her head slightly. Either Dean was too far away still to see it, or he didn't care.

"Y'see, I wasn't gonna believe it until I hear it with my own ears," he continued, "So I want you to answer me straight, Carly. Are you really gonna go crawling back to the Authority after everything they did to you?"

"Don't listen to him, Carly," said Ms. McMahon, "This whole mess started because of them, remember? The Shield is really to blame for what happened to you."

"I don't think that'd hold up in court," said Dean.

He hopped over the barricade, followed by Seth and Roman. Carly could feel the piercing intensity of those blue, brown, and grey eyes looking up at her from ringside.

"From where we stand, Stephanie," Dean continued, "It was on _your _orders that Carly got put in a hospital. Your orders got her a concussion and a broken wrist and cracked ribs. You had a girl _tortured_, a girl who couldn't even fight back, and we all know that it won't stop there. Carly, she made an _example _of you, and no matter what you do, it's never gonna be enough for her. She had you beaten down once and she'll do it again, you just-"

Dean's microphone suddenly cut out. He cursed loudly, and threw it away in frustration. Seth leapt onto the apron, leaning over the ropes.

"Don't do this, Carly," he pleaded.

Dean and Roman followed him, standing with their arms over the ropes like they were ready to reach out to her. For some reason, instead of wishing they would go away, Carly found herself wanting to run over to them.

"Look at me, Carly," Ms. McMahon ordered.

Turning away from Seth and Dean and Roman at that moment was one of the hardest things Carly had ever done.

"You know you can't trust those three," Ms. McMahon said gently, "Like they always say: the Shield does what's best for the Shield. They only care about themselves, and they couldn't care less about who gets hurt because of them. But you and me, we're family."

Her smile had returned, but it looked hollow somehow. There was something disconnected in her voice. Carly couldn't believe she hadn't noticed it before. Whatever was missing from Stephanie, it was there with the Shield. It was in Dean's arms around her shoulders, in Seth's earnest concern, in Roman's offer of friendship and protection to someone who had been the enemy. And whatever it was, Carly could not find it in herself to betray it.

"No," said Carly.

"What?"

The smile drained from Stephanie's face, and was replaced by a glower. Carly stared fiercely back at her. Carly's hands no longer shook. She stood up straight, and her voice was steady and strong.

"What I did was not a mistake, and I didn't do it for myself. I did it to help someone else. Everything I did was no more than those three would do for each other, and that's something you would never consider in a million years. Mr. McMahon may be my father, but I am not a McMahon. I never have been, and I never will be. My name is Carly Caden, and I stand with the Shield!"

Stephanie's face contorted with rage, and the microphone dropped from her hand. She drew back her hand and struck Carly across the face. As Carly's body recoiled from the force of the blow, her injured ribs twisted. The pain sent Carly to her knees, gasping. Stephanie grabbed Carly by the front of her shirt, hauling her upright. Carly pulled futilely at Stephanie's hands.

"You listen to me, you little sap," Stephanie snarled in a low voice, "I may not be _able_ to fire you or the three musketeers over there, but rest assured that I am going to personally make your lives hell."

"Turnabout's fair play," Carly fired back, grinning up at her.

Carly abruptly reached up, locking her arms around the back of Stephanie's head, and drove her forehead into Stephanie's: once, twice, three times. She let go, and Stephanie crumpled to the floor, clutching her head. Carly pressed a hand to her own forehead, turning back to the Shield.

It appeared that they had stopped dead in their tracks when she headbutted Stephanie (Roman was in the ring next to her, and Seth and Dean were halfway through the ropes) but Carly had never seen three more gleefully astonished faces in her life.

"Nice one, kid," Dean crowed, "Get out of there now!"

The Shield's music started play as they helped Carly through the ropes and down the stairs, but she could barely hear it over the wild cheering from the crowd. When they made it to the top of the ramp, they paused. Dean, Seth, and Roman held their fists out together.

Suddenly, Carly felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned to see Seth grinning at her.

"Are you hearing this?" he shouted over the audience, "They're calling your name."

Carly's brows furrowed in confusion. She hadn't been listening, but now that her head had cleared –

xXx

"_Ladies and gentlemen, in a stunning turn of events, the rebel princess Carly Caden has turned her back on the Authority and declared her allegiance to the Hounds of Justice!"_

"_Carly and the Shield are standing tall tonight, and the crowd is loving it. Just listen to them:"_

_("PRINCESS CARLY *clap clap clapclapclap*")_

xXx

Apparently Dean's nickname for her had caught on.

Carly and the Shield hurried backstage. As soon as they were out of sight of the audience, Carly stopped and allowed herself to slouch a little, groaning.

"Hey, are you alright?" Dean asked.

"I'll be fine," said Carly, wincing.

Her jostled ribs hurt more than she'd been willing to let on in front of Stephanie and the entire WWE universe. Roman put his arm around her shoulders.

"Come on," he said, "Let's get out of sight so you can sit down for a minute."

Using their expert deserted-hallway-finding skills, the Shield pulled Carly into a nearby side-hallway, just out of was sure to be chaos backstage. Seth gingerly sat Carly down on an equipment case.

"Take it easy," he said, "What hurts?"

"Cracked ribs do not appreciated being twisted like that," Carly said ruefully, "Let me tell you, Stephanie has a mean backhand. She must've been wearing a ring or something. It still stings where she hit me."

Roman leaned down and gently raised her chin.

"Yeah," he said, examining her face, "Looks like she busted you open a little."

"What, really?" Carly asked.

Roman swatted her hand away as she reached towards her cheek.

"Don't touch it," he scolded, "You're just as bad as Dean."

"We should get that patched up," said Dean, "Can you walk, kid?'

"Yeah, I'm alright now," said Carly.

Roman helped her to her feet. A young man with bleach-blonde hair appeared in front of them. Seth and Dean stepped forward defensively, but Dolph Ziggler held up his hands in mock surrender.

"Whoa, guys. I'm unarmed," he said, "Can I – can I just, for a second?"

When Seth and Dean backed off, Dolph stepped forward and took Carly's hand, grinning earnestly.

"Can I just say that you are fantastic and I love you? Bless you," Dolph said, kissing her hand, "Alright, that's all. Carry on."

"I think like him," said Carly as they walked away.

"I think your head's still scrambled from that concussion," Dean muttered.

xXx

Stephanie McMahon, currently suffering from a massive headache and a bruised ego, threw the medic out of her office. She paced, fuming, holding the ice-pack to her forehead. She whirled around (and instantly regretted the sudden movement) at the sound timid knock on the door.

"What?" she snapped.

A petrified intern stepped into the room. He held a piece of paper in his shaking hands.

"There's a message from you, ma'am," he said, "From Mr. McMahon."

"Well, don't just stand there like an idiot," said Stephanie, "Read it to me."

"But, ma'am, I don't think-"

"I said read it," Stephanie growled, glaring daggers at him.

Blanching, the intern cleared his throat and attempted to read in the most inoffensive monotone voice possible:

"_Dear Stephanie, It looks like you're enjoying my present. She turned out to be a real firecracker after all, didn't she? As long as she continues to keep things interesting around here, I think she'll have a great career in this company, because that's what's best for business. Love, your father._"

With a shriek of rage, Stephanie whipped the ice-pack at the intern's head.

xXx

The Shield stood in the trainer's room as the medic cleaned and bandaged the cut on Carly's face. Carly had wanted to send them away, because the less time they spent around her, the safer it would be for them, but they were right when they pointed out that it would be a useless gesture.

"We all just openly defied the Authority in the sight of God and the entire WWE universe," said Dean, "There's no going back from that, kid."

"I guess you're right," said Carly, her smile faltering for the first time since she'd turned Stephanie down.

"Check her ribs, too," Roman directed the medic, "Just to be safe."

Carly couldn't quite bit back a yelp as the medic pressed against a particularly sore spot.

"Sorry," she said sheepishly, "I'll bet you three think I'm being a baby about all this."

"Actually, you've taken everything like a soldier so far," Roman smiled, "We're impressed."

The medic interrupted then, informing them that there had been no further damage to Carly's ribs, and she was clear to go when she felt up to it.

"Are we sure she shouldn't have her head looked at?" asked Dean after the medic walked away.

"I'll be fine," said Carly, "I have a remarkably thick skull."

"So, Carly," said Seth, "What made you change your mind?"

"I don't know what you mean," Carly lied unconvincingly.

"Come on," said Seth, "We all know that you were planning on going back to being Steph's doormat. What changed your mind?"

"Two things. First: at the risk of sounding sappy? You three," said Carly, sighing resignedly, "The amount of trust you place in each other, and how you always have each other's backs, and the way you help each other up and carry whoever isn't able to stand. When I saw you all tonight, I realized that I'd do anything for people like that. And that's incredibly pathetic, I know."

"Oh, c'mere you," said Seth, pulling her gently into a hug, "We knew you had a heart in there somewhere."

"I'd say I hate to say I told you so," Roman smirked at Seth, "But I'd be lying."

Roman hugged Carly as well. Dean, on the other hand, sat behind Carly on the table and wrapped his arms around her, leaning his head against her shoulder.

"I'm not letting go this time," he said, "You can't make me, Seth."

"No objections here," Seth laughed, "What was the second reason, Carly?"

"I figured something out," said Carly, "Stephanie may be vindictive and arrogant, but she isn't stupid. And above all else, she's greedy. She was never going to fire Seth, not when you three bring in so much money for the company. She was bluffing and I fell for it. I really am as much of an idiot as they say."

Carly hung her head dejectedly.

"You may be that, princess," said Dean, settling his head more securely against her, "But you're _our _idiot."

"Our crazy, brave little idiot," Roman grinned.

"And I wanted to thank you three for everything," said Carly, managing to smile, "Since this may be the last time I see you."

"What are you talking about?" said Roman, his brows furrowing.

"Well, Stephanie can't fire me," said Carly, "But she won't want me anywhere near you, so she'll probably bury me in a desk job somewhere so I can't cause trouble."

"Maybe you have another option," said Seth after a moment.

"What's that?" asked Carly.

"We can handle Triple H and anything else the Authority dishes out in the ring," said Seth thoughtfully, "But it might be helpful if we had someone, say a manager, who knows how the Authority thinks and how they handle business."

Carly stared at him in disbelief. This was more than she'd hoped for. They were giving her a chance to stay, a chance to help them and anyone else the Authority had it in for.

"Do you mean it?" she asked breathlessly.

"Fair warning – it could be dangerous," said Seth, tilting his head, "The Authority is going to be gunning for you after the stunt you pulled tonight."

"It'll be dangerous for you, too, won't it?" said Carly.

"Nothing we can't handle," Roman smiled, "Especially with a little help from you. What do you say, Carly?"

"Yes. Absolutely, yes! Thank you," Carly exclaimed.

"That's our girl," said Dean, "Down with the Authority. Long live Princess Carly."

Carly looked at the three of them and smiled.

"And long live the Hounds of Justice," she said.


	8. There are No Season Finales in the WWE

**There are No Season Finales in the WWE**

Triple H left the dazed Roman Reigns flat on his back in the ring and jumped to the floor. The crowd reacted with great consternation as he began to rummage around beneath the ring. A strange look crossed Triple H's face. He started dragging folded up chairs and tables out of the way, unable to locate a certain something. Suddenly, the crowd exploded into wild cheers.

"I beg your pardon, Mr. Helmsley," said a voice, "Are you looking for this?"

Carly stood at the top of the ramp. One hand held the microphone, the other balanced Triple H's sledgehammer across her shoulder.

A lot had changed in the past two months. Carly made a name for herself by coming to the aid of anyone who stood against the Authority. Because of this, she had earned the friendship of people like Dolph Ziggler, Kofi Kingston, and Daniel Bryan.

She no longer snuck around the various arenas to avoid Triple H and Stephanie. She looked them in the eyes whenever they met. She was stronger now, too. Strong enough to wield that sledgehammer and hold her own in a fight. The Hounds of Justice were great teachers.

Triple H bellowed in rage and started towards her.

"I don't think so, Mr. Helmsley," Carly said with a confident smile, "I'm here to see that Roman Reigns gets a fair fight. And if not, I'll be only too happy to put this little toy of yours to good use."

Livid, but unable to do anything to stop Carly, Triple H turned back to the ring, where Roman Reigns waited for him.

Carly watched, satisfied. Maybe this wouldn't last. Nothing does, after all. But for now, she had fully embraced her role as the wrench in the works, the agent of chaos protected by the blessing of Mr. McMahon himself. And until something came along to stop her, she would be the rebel princess.

Down with the Authority. Long live the Hounds of Justice.


End file.
